Mystic Manor (Attraction)
Mystic Manor is an alternate version of the Haunted Mansion found in Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Point. History When Hong Kong Disneyland opened the far east division of Disney Parks wanted to create original attractions based on classics rather than recreate Western rides. Mystic Manor was created to be an alternate version of the Haunted Mansion with the cultural change of the Manor being inhabited by inhuman spirits brought forward by a curse rather than being filled with Ghosts as in Chinese culture, the spirits of the deceased are typically seen as something to be honoured rather than feared. The ride's lore background was inspired by a secret society concept known as the Society of Explorers and Adventurers which was originally brought forward by the Tokyo Disneyland Tower of Terror attraction since Japanese audiences were not as familiar with the Twilight Zone as western audiences were. Mystic Manor was decided to be more cartoonish and goofy than dark-humoured and eerie since Hong Kong Disneyland wanted to capitalize on the attraction being more child friendly than atmospherically eerie and dark-humoured so as such the ride's characters were shown to be the cartoonish Lord Henry Mystic and his mischievous pet monkey Albert. The ride's score and theme song were both written by american composer Danny Elfman who is most famous for his work with Gothic film director Tim Burton, most notably as the songwriter for the Nightmare Before Christmas which inspired the Haunted Mansion's annual holiday overlay. Background Mystic Manor is the exotic home of Lord Henry Mystic, one of the founding members of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.), and his pet monkey, Albert. Lord Mystic first set eyes on the jungle of Mystic Point many years ago and was enchanted by the tropical locale, giving it the name it has today and clearing out some of the jungle to make his home there. This same location was also where he met Albert, having rescued the monkey from a giant spiderweb. Mystic Manor was the product of Lord Mystic's lifetime of adventuring around the globe, starting with Victorian influences but incorporating a hodgepodge of architectural styles from all over the world. Construction of the manor was completed in 1896, and soon Mystic was housing his impressive private collection of rare artifacts and antiquities there, making it a one-of-a-kind museum. As of 1908, Lord Mystic has opened the manor for tours to anyone visiting Mystic Point, conducting guests through his home safely and speedily thanks to his patented Magneto-Electric Carriages. Attraction As guests wait in the Queue, they will notice a portrait of Lord Henry Mystic and Albert posted on the wall. Then, guests are arranged to move into the Preshow and watch a slide show narrated by Lord Mystic. He gives a short speech about the exhibition rooms and his latest collections and emphasizes an enchanted music box full of rare magic, which must be bewared and opened in caution. From time to time, Albert appears in different corners of the Preshow, seeming especially interested in the music box. After the presentation, guests are allowed to enter the Load Area and get on the century’s horseless carriages, the vehicle that take guests for a circle tour of the manor. The first area is Acquisitions and Cataloging Room, where Lord Mystic's collections are temporary placed and awaited to placed on shelves. The music box Lord Mystic mentioned is now in front of guests. Albert suddenly pops out and unlocks the box. The escaping magic dust floats in the air and brings life to all artifacts. The first show case is the Music Room, in which weird and exotic music instruments are stored. A piano and a harp are placed in the center of the room. The magic dust gives life to each instrument and music plays. The music follows the carriage and becomes the background music for the journey. Albert is excited and amazed and follows the carriage, curious to visit all rooms. The next stop is Mediterranean Antiquities. Paintings and ceramics start to move under the influence of the dust. A painting of the eruptian of Mount Vesuvius comes to life and the people in the painting are drowned in lava, but still raise a toast to each other. An amphora with Hercules fighting with Nemean Lion to conquer Zeus’s quest spins and rocks when the carriage passes, Hercules leaping out of the way of the lion and out the top. A painting of a young woman turns briefly into Medusa, with hissing snakes for hair. The carriages move into to a Solarium. Albert tries to toy around with the Venus fly traps as he is holding a piece of banana to them, then all of a sudden a large Venus fly trap opens its jaw as it tries to bite the guests; the room then becomes pitch black with a loud thunderclap. Soon afterward, the carriage enters the Slavic-Nordic Chamber. There is a Russian painting, who comes to life and blows freezing wind towards guests. As the wind leavs the painting, snow forms around a large mirror, which shatters into pieces, while guests are led into the next room. Arms & Armour is full of weapons and armor that becomes a chaotic room as they come to life. At the beginning of the corridor, a samurai armor wielding a katana tries to hack Albert's head off, but thanks to the monkey's quick reflects, he dodges each slash with success. A cannon opens fire on the guests which knocks the carriage back and sending it spinning away from the carnage. The lively knight helmets hanging on the walls sing a catchy song and a fearsome suit of armor displays its trophies, the helmets of other armor. The carriages move away and into a corner, where a bastilla loads and aims at the guests. In a swift escape, guests enter into Egyptian Antiquities. The sarcophagus glows with a unearthly green glow as swarms of scarabs come out from the large coffin and the face on the sarcophagus becomes one of horror. The scarabs soon cover all the lights and guests ride through the darkness, feeling scarabs crawl all over. At the end of the darkness are Tribal Arts. Among all the artifacts, a Tiki statue stands out with its massive size. Lava starts to come out from the mouth of statue and the room heats up. Totem poles come to life, glaring around at the guests and giving out a foreboding chanting. On the other side, other statues of Tribal gods blow darts past the carriage, which turns around to reveal Albert, pinned against the wall, crying for help. Finally, the Carriages goes into the Chinese Salon where a giant Jade Monkey King Statue is brought to life as it uses its staff to create a tornado-like turbulence making the room spin, causing all the tapestries in the salon are shaken. A panda goes out of one of them and enters in another one with two commons cranes. Albert appears, causing the statue to blast away a portion of the wall and revealing the dusk sky; the monkey is then blown away from the manor and in a quick effort, he manages to hold on a large harp as the enchanted music box suddenly appears from below. Albert grabs onto it, but a sword knocks out it out of his grasp. He jumps to the box as the carriages move back to the Acquisitions and Cataloging Room. All of the magic dust comes flying into the room and Albert slams the music box shut, recollecting all of the loose magic. Fortunately, things are back in order and the artifacts “sleep” again. Lord Mystic reappears, and obliviously teases Albert that the legend just might be true. He hopes guests are satisfied with their tour and that they will visit again soon, and then bids guests goodbye. Category:Attractions